


Swindle stop

by kidotix



Series: Malgus 817.26 Iota [3]
Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Drinking, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Pre-Series, Short One Shot, do these two ever meet/flirt under other circumstances? probably, it's very very brief mentions, maybe????? idk you could interpret it that way!, references to former Megatron/Starscream, will i ever write those circumstances? .....debatable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 05:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12029433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kidotix/pseuds/kidotix
Summary: The proper response to a break-up probably isn't getting your friend drunk enough to tell you every dark and dirty detail, but it's not like Swindle would let little details like that stop him.





	Swindle stop

"Well now," Swindle looked up, raising his glass. "The prodigal boy toy returns! Or would that be former boy toy?"

Starscream sat across from the smaller Decepticon, rubbing at his eyes in exhaustion. "Don't go there until I've had at least..." Starscream considered. "At least two drinks. Probably more."

"You're footing the bill," Swindle consented, pouring the glass himself from the bottle he'd already ordered for the table. Starscream seemed sorely tempted to just take the bottle himself, but refrained. Swindle continued. "You can't blame me for wanting to know about it, though, it's the one thing everyone is talking about. You'd better tell me everything."

Starscream didn't waste time downing his glass. Usually he only drank that quickly if he was too occupied talking to notice- a sure sign that things were bad, if he was in such a rush to drown his sorrows. "Why in the world would I want to incriminate myself like that?" Starscream asked, clearly unconvinced. "How much would Shockwave pay to know all about me and Megatron to the last detail? Don't answer that, I don't want to know."

He was absolutely right, of course. And Shockwave probably would pay a handsome sum, given his need for information. "I would never," Swindle lied, putting a hand on his chest. "I swear on my honor as a Decepticon."

Starscream nearly choked on his second glass laughing. That was one mission successful- get Starscream to stop moping like someone had razed his city to ashes a second time. He just had to keep him like that.

"Anyways," Swindle considered, more honestly- as honest as he could be. It was funny how being around Starscream did that. "Yeah, if that information got out, it could kill the both of you easily. But the question comes down to how and when it does, doesn't it?" Swindle topped off both of their glasses, leaning forward eagerly. "The rumors are already starting, but if they start with hints of your side of the story, it's really in your favor."

"Nothing is _ever_ in my favor, Swindle," Starscream corrected, expression inching back to miserable. "It doesn't take much for the Decepticon armies to hate me."

His expression darkened, growing distant. "Really, though? Right now I hate Megatron far more than I care about my reputation."

Alarm bells went off in Swindle's head at that, along with an unfamiliar emotion. Maybe it was pity? Pity that Starscream had found himself in this situation, along with a need to drag one of his best customers back out of it. It was entirely self-serving. He needed Starscream to be himself, otherwise the mutual partnership they'd been building over the years would be worthless.

It _wasn't_ out of concern. He didn't do concern.

"You don't mean that," Swindle said, eyes narrowing. "You don't, do you?"

Starscream's eyes were locked on his drink. "Maybe I do."

Swindle leaned back, trying to put the pieces together. Megatron had gotten frustrated with the rumors people had- the blatantly true rumors- about him and his second-in-command, and his solution was publicly rejecting Starscream as his Conjunx, destroying their relationship for the entertainment of the Decepticons. Sure, he didn't know how long they'd been together, or how close they were, but he knew Starscream and he figured that the Seeker would bounce back as fast as he always did. "I changed my mind- I'll pay the bill," Swindle said. "What the frag happened?"

Starscream's grin lacked its usual bite, and he dropped it quickly. "Other than my Conjunx finally letting people know about us, just so he could end it and humiliate me in front of our forces? People thought that I..." Starscream's grip on his glass tightened. "I _didn't._ I'm sure everyone thinks it's true now, though."

He was quiet for a moment, eyes burning harder the longer he thought. "He did it this way for a reason," Starscream said, finally. "He didn't want the responsibilities of being a Conjunx- it meant he was obligated to at least keep me alive, not to mention all the emotions. Megatron _hates_ emotions. But he doesn't want to give up the perks!" Starscream slammed his glass. "He knew what he was doing- he waited until I was too reliant on him, he has my entire life at his mercy. I'm not in a position to refuse him anymore."

Swindle's expression betrayed his shock for a moment, before he could get it under control. "Primus, Starscream, you can't mean... Even after rejecting you as his Conjunx? That's even below my standards." He put his hand on his head, trying to process this. " _No one_ is below my standards!"

"Part of me knew it was going to come to this eventually," Starscream admitted. "I think he's hated me for years now." He let go of his glass before it started to crack, digging his claws into his own hands instead. "He knew I wouldn't tell anyone- they already think I was with him just to manipulate him into giving me my position. They would just assume I'm begging for scraps and lose even more respect for me." Starscream laughed. "I don't care now, though. Do whatever you want with _that,_ and I can regret it later."

Silence filled the space between their table for too long. Swindle knew distantly enough that there were others in the bar- enough chaos that no one would notice them, how they'd always preferred it- but he didn't register the words. He doubted Starscream could even hear him.

"I say we get one last round of drinks," Swindle said, "and then we get your mind away from all of this. I've got space at one of my hideouts, and you probably need it more than I do right now."

Starscream glanced back over at him, considering. "Maybe you have a point. Planning to offline me in my sleep?"

"Not tonight," Swindle shrugged lightly, "but keep one eye open just in case." He held out his glass, and Starscream picked up his. "I say tonight we toast to forget."

"Forgetting sounds great to me," Starscream said, tapping their glasses together. "If I don't wake up tomorrow with this entire week wiped, I'm counting tonight as a massive failure."

"There are other ways to make the night a success," Swindle joked, waiting for the other Decepticon to finish off his drink.

Starscream considered, before quickly taking care of his glass and all but throwing it at the table. "You're right," Starscream said, somewhat manic as he stood up. "We should go to your hideout. Right now."

Swindle stood up, following the larger Decepticon outside. "I was just kidding- are you sure?" Primus, Starscream had long legs- he kept having to run to catch up with him. "Not that I'm against it."

"I'm sure," Starscream said firmly. "I don't exactly have a say with _him_ anymore. But he can't and won't stop me from doing whatever else I want."

"That's the spirit," Swindle said, grinning. He got his story, and Starscream had finally bounced back- as much as he could right now, at least.

He'd accept the small victories, and whatever bigger rewards came from them. For Swindle, at least, it was a successful night.

**Author's Note:**

> Written 8/24/17


End file.
